ANGRY families have been fenced off behind an eight-foot barrier while the rest of their community is bulldozed.

Developers have moved into Garston's Under The Bridge estate to start pulling down swathes of crumbling terraces.

But the neighbourhood's Ship Streets - where just 12 households are still occupied - will not be demolished just yet.

Instead, they have been fenced off on three sides while neighbouring roads are reduced to rubble.

They today issued a desperate plea to be rehoused.

Barbara Stanley, 64, has lived in Ultonia Street for more than 50 years.

She said: "We have been boarded in. They need to get us out of here quickly.

"There are now just 12 families left - everywhere else is empty and we keep having to call the fire brigade out.

"It is not very nice looking out of your window, and the fence means there is only one way out now."

Edith Murphy, who lives in Carpathia Street with her husband John and two children, added: " They have started demolishing some streets but we are left in alittle square here.

"We did not want to leave in the first place - everyone had grown up and raised families around here.

"The houses we are being offered instead are just not worth taking."

Garston MP Maria Eagle is campaigning on residents' behalf.

She said: "Ship Street residents were told seven years ago that their homes would be among the first to be dealt with. Now everything around them is coming down and only they are left. They are fenced in on three sides - itisnot much better than the Berlin Wall."

The council approved the #50m, seven- year plan to replace terraced streets with 310 new homes, including 120 rented properties, in 2004.

South Liverpool Housing is responsible for moving out the last 12 households.

A spokesman said: "We are working to rehouse them as quickly as possible.

"The Ship Streets are an integral part of the development and all properties in the area will be demolished so that the scheme can progress.

"The area now fenced off is a construction site, in the ownership of our development partner Lovell. They have enclosed the site to protect the public. The relevant roads have been formally closed.

"All residents were fully consulted over the road closures and informed of the erection of fencing through a newsletter.

"Demolition has been accelerated and acontractor is on site at present."